MOZDOK, December 12. /TASS/. Russia’s Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have set off from an operational airfiled in North Ossetia heading back to their home bases, after completing tasks of fighting terrorists in Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said.
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- Russian Tu-22M3 bombers hit terrorists targets in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province
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"After successfully completing tasks of targeting terrorist facilities in Syria, crew members of the Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have started the process of returning the aircraft from the operational airfield to their home bases," the press service said.
On December 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Hmeymim air base in Syria and ordered the Russian Defense Ministry to begin the withdrawal of troops from the country. During the Syrian operation, the Russian Aerospace Force’s aircraft carried out 6,956 flights, while helicopters conducted more than 7,000 flights. Over 32,000 militants were killed and more than 12,000 pieces of weapons and military hardware were destroyed.